By Mike Thayer A few groceries purchased at Sam’s, how much will the same things cost at Costco? My Costco membership is up for renewal and I like Costco, it’s conveniently close to where I live and I’ve saved a lot of money buying there vs. a typical grocery store or retail outlet.  Heck, for […]

By Mike Thayer Blended and flavored whiskeys are red hot right now, consumer demand for brown spirits continues to rise with American Whiskey in particular seeing some phenomenal sales growth. Regular readers know that I am a fan of flavored whiskey, I’ve always got a bottle of something in my freezer for a chilled shot […]

By Mike Thayer There are a lot of programs out there offering storable food packages, various types, sizes, prices….  But buying dehydrated, freeze-dried, or MRE style food isn’t for everybody.  Buying things in bulk isn’t for everybody either, and not everybody has an unspoken for $100 or $200 laying around to do that.  So I’ve come […]

By Mike Thayer What is the most popular thing to add to meats cooked outdoors? BBQ Sauces It’s true, the most popular thing to add to the plethora of meats cooked outdoors is BBQ sauce. If you had guessed ketchup, believe it or not, you would be wrong. The person who invented BBQ sauce is […]

By Mike Thayer Like so many working stiffs, I’ve GOT to have my coffee in the morning to get jump started. Traditionally, I’m a Folgers Classic Roast kind of guy and I doctor my coffee with some hazelnut flavored creamer.  So no, I’m NOT a coffee snob.  I don’t do the whole beans and a […]

By Mike Thayer The pallet look So I live in an apartment, I like to garden and I do have a patio where I do some container gardening, but it’s ground level and it’s asphalt.  That means it gets REALLY hot….  When it’s 90 degrees out in the summer, add another 10 degrees to that […]

O’Neal to Join Company’s Board of Directors and Invest in Nine Papa John’s Restaurants in Atlanta LOUISVILLE, Ky.– Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) today announced that NBA Hall of Famer and restaurateur Shaquille O’Neal will be joining Papa John’s as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors and as an investor in nine […]

By Mike Thayer Regular readers know that I’m currently conducting a Smokehouse/Chophouse Challenge, because trending in 2019, are smokehouse/steakhouse style burgers, sandwiches and other meat on bread offerings from fast food/fast casual.  I ventured out today wanting to sample Freddy’s A-1 Chophouse burger, which is two lean ground beef patties pressed thin and topped with […]

By Mike Thayer The freezer compartment in the typical apartment size refrigerator/freezer just doesn’t have enough storage space for a guy like me who likes to cook and grill. So in dire need of more freezer space, I’ve been on a quest to find the best deal for an ‘apartment size’ chest freezer.  It’s a […]

SEATTLE – Today, Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX) announced the expansion of its successful Starbucks Delivers pilot to an additional six cities across the United States. The expansion, in partnership with Uber Eats, begins today in San Francisco, the first of six new markets to offer the service to customers. Following an initial test in […]

By Mike Thayer So what are you doing for Thanksgiving?  If you’re not into cooking, the smart play is to go to a friend or relative’s house.  Be sure to take a bottle of wine, you can’t go in empty handed.  It you don’t live near the ‘nest’ and you like to entertain, then the […]

By Mike Thayer The bratwurst – more affectionately known as ‘brats’ by those who love these sausage treats – is a popular offering at summer cookouts and at baseball stadiums, especially in the Midwest. That’s what I’m into today, some brats!  I’ve tried pretty much all of them, Johnsonville, local butcher, various grocery store brands […]

Previous month: September 2017 Next month: November 2017 By Mike Thayer Radishes, spinach and beans have sprouted, oh my! I’ve really enjoyed putting this project together and I’ve already got some veggies getting all nice and green in less than a week. Remember that $600 figure I wrote about in buying a ‘ready made’ indoor […]

By Mike Thayer Now that I have my customized kayak for fishing at beautiful Lake Viking, I need a shed at the lake property to keep it in. I’m shopping for a shed!  I’m in the market for a 10′ x 12′ foot shed – the maximum size allowed by the home owner’s association.  It […]